AKTUELIZACIJE I OSPORAVANJA KANTOVE IDEJE DOSTOJANSTVA
ACTUALIZATIONS AND CHALLENGES OF KANT’S IDEA OF DIGNITY

Summary/Abstract: In the first part of the paper the author puts forward concisely and discusses the wider theoretical basis of Kant’s concept of human dignity which does not comprise only his moral philosophy and philosophy of law, but also Kant’s writings on anthropology, philosophy of history, religion and education. Referring to the wider theoretical foundation of Kant’s conception of dignity, the author tries to show that the majority of Kant’s critics overlooked some substantial aspects of this concept which are important for understanding Kant’s theory of upbringing and anthroponomy. Such putting forward of Kant’s conception of human dignity, the author thinks, offers more precise understanding of various types of philosophical objections and challenges of Kant’s conception of human dignity in the context of the classical German idealism of Shiller, Fichte and Hegel regardless of the fact that objections show the limits of this conception or necessity of its extension and possibility of its further elaboration. The second part of the paper discusses the criticisms of Kant’s conception of dignity in 19 century which are motivated by the radical criticisms of Kant’s philosophy of transcendental idealism and especially its moral theory. In contrast to the philosophical disputes about the problem of dignity in the classical German idealism which showed the limits of Kant’s conception of dignity and necessity of its extension, the philosophical criticisms of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche will challenge radically from different philosophical perspectives the meaning of the very concept of human dignity in the context of Kant’s moral theory. In the third part of the paper the author discusses not only the various forms of contemporary reaffirmations but also criticisms of Kant’s conception of dignity in 20 century from the perspectives of phenomenology, Marxist philosophy and other contemporary philosophical currents which dominate in the postmodernism. The insight into recent debates on Kant’s problem of dignity shows not only that various attempts of quest „after virtue“, „upbringing for human dignity“, „orthopaedics of upright gait“ but also the philosophical and moral theories which treat „the obsolescence of human dignity“ bring into the focus of philosophical and moral debates again the problem of freedom, autonomy and humanism which are the crucial moral issues that Kant initiated by his idea of human dignity. Many debates showing the value of human dignity confirm the well-known Kant’s claim that no idea no matter how daring we must treat as „chimaera and reject it as beautiful dream even if there were obstacles in its realization“. The obstacles are only moral temptation which should, according to Kant, „aggrandize the powers of our soul and anneal them“.

• Details
• Contents